Four weeks ago, Samuel and I started to run. Five times a week. 30minutes each. From the start we knew, motivation is key. We both want to run. Why not motivate each other? If Samuel runs, I pay him 10€. If I run, he pays me. If we both run, no one has to pay. A very simple schema, but surprisingly motivating. Each week we kept running. Attracted by our success, this week, Johannes joined and I hope more will follow.

Last week I bought additional motivation. It's called Nike+iPod and snaps on your iPod and in your running shoe (doesn't have to be a Nike). It measures your time, speed and distance. And it gives sexy voice feedback on the run. After running when you connect your iPod with your PC (doesn't have to be a Mac), you get stats which of course you have to beat next time.

With Nike+iPod I set myself three goals for the next four weeks:

• 20 runs
• with an average speed of less then 5min30sec/km
• and 100km in total

I will report back on how it went. read it

Labels: Apple, Economics, Incentives, Patrick

Pictures from the Magnum P.I. Night on October 14th.


Peter, Stefan


Brigitte, Christine, Konrad / Stefan, Johannes, Patrick


Magnum / Minji, Mijin, Eunji

Labels: eat+drink, Patrick

The Economist usually doesn't report tabloid news. But this one is funny.

Shanghai’s newspapers reported a particularly bizarre story in October. A four-year-old deaf boy disappeared at Beijing Zoo, only to resurface the following day at another zoo—in Shanghai. When the boy’s parents realised their son was missing they notified police and made postings on various websites. A man in Shanghai quickly responded to an internet post, saying he had seen a boy who fitted the description at Shanghai Zoo. The parents immediately flew to Shanghai, where they were reunited with their son at a local police station.

The only possible explanation police could offer was that the boy’s kidnappers decided to dump him after discovering his disability. Why they decided to leave him at another zoo, 1,300km from Beijing, is anyone’s guess.

Labels: Asia

Impressions from Peking University and Fudan University.

by Patrick Öhlinger

This summer started for me with an invitation by my good friend Andreas Kraml. He told me about his application to a summer university and knowing about my interested in China and economics, he recommend me to apply as well.
Already close to the application deadline, I contacted Mr. Böhm, my economics professor. Thankfully did he help me right away with a letter of recommendation for the Modern China Studies for Scientists and Economists in Beijing und Shanghai.
With little formalities, the application was quick and much easier than I worried. I even received a scholarship. And with the kind help of Ms. Höfler, I was soon heading for Beijing.

In Beijing with the first lectures ahead, I was exited to find out about the university, the lectures and our group.
In every regard my expectations where soon exceeded.
Peking University and Fudan University both have a beautiful campus. With trees and lakes and motivated students all over. Walking under the trees, one constantly feels like sitting down for a chat or to enjoy a book.

Right from the start we had inspiring lectures. Given from the top professors at the various departments. Usually from 10 till 12 and 2 till 4, with occasional trips to famous sights and foreign companies in the surrounding of Beijing and Shanghai.

On those trips our group got closer together. Soon friendships developed, which I’m sure, will hold much longer than the four weeks in China.

The impressive growth of China

Reading about the growth of China is impressive by itself. But actually being at the scene to experience what is happening is a different thing. China grows fast. So fast, that we in stagnating Europe can hardly understand what’s going on. For most, China still seems far away. To really understand, one has to be part of it. We weren’t. But we got to talk with professors and students who are and they explained as much as they could about the implications of the growth for China, Asia and the rest of the World.
It was as funny as it was shocking when I followed the comparisons the professors were showing. They were not comparing China with another developing country. Not even America. They were comparing China with the rest of the world:

• 50% of cement consumption
• 36% of steel consumption
• 30% of coal consumption
• 20% of the population
• 20% of foreign exchange reserves (1trillion US $)
• 7.3% of all exports
• 6.4% of GDP (just behind USA in PPP terms)
• 6.3% of all import
• 5.4% of cell phone subscribers (400 million)
• ...

Again, those numbers are in comparison with the rest of the world!

China’s economy grows with 10% a year. Since 20 years and with no clear reason why this shouldn’t continue for the next 20 years. And that’s how it should be. Still too many are poor, with growth as their only hope. With 20% of the world population, China should approach 20% of the world GDP. Like it had before the industrial revolution gave western countries a headstart.
America's time as leading (economic) world power is numbered. China will take that role. That’s known. Unknown is when. Economic forecasts predict 2030, as the year when China’s GDP will overtake Americas (in PPP terms).

For those numbers and further reading on Chinas economics I recommend: The China Miracle by Lin, Cai, Li and two recent surveys from The Economist (Sep 16th 2006 and Oct 21th 2006).

The big industries, banking, insurance and infrastructure, are still state owned or strictly regulated. But the free market is working in millions of small and mid-size business all over the country. While hiking the Great Wall of China, there where always people selling bottled water. Just when sweating tourists needed it most.

When I reached the highest point of the wall, I was looking for a trashcan to throw away my empty bottle. At that moment a men collect my empty bottle. He collected hundreds. I had no idea what’s going on. But later I found out there is a market for trash to be sold. Impressive how markets develope seemingly everywhere.

We students in cozy Europe sometimes relax that students in China (and India) are no competition. But just as chinese blue-collar works challenge their competitors in Europe so do white-collar works. China has more graduate students then Europe and America combined. We may (for now) comfort us with believing their education is not as good and misses critical skills like innovative thinking. But while European universities feel sorry about being overtaken by American universities, Asian schools are overtaking European schools as well. Japanese, Korean and Indian universities are already ranked above European and next to American universities. And China is following fast.

Criticizing China’s innovative thinking, one only has to look at the streets to find very innovativ solutions to everyday problems.

China is still a poor country. It has a long and challenging way ahead. But it is on the right track. Millions are lifted out of poverty every year. It’s an exiting moment for China and the world. I’m glad I could see a bit of what’s happening.

Labels: Asia, Economics

Labels: eat+drink, Patrick

I'm soon hosting a Magnum Night.

For those who don't remember. Magnum is a private investigator (P.I.) in Hawaii. His lifestyle represents every man’s dream. He comes and goes as he pleases, works only when he wants to, has the almost unlimited use of a Ferrari 308 GTS as well as many other luxuries, keeps a mini-fridge with a seemingly endless supply of beer, comes into contact with countless beautiful women (who are often his clients or victims in the cases he solves).

While waiting for the Magnum Night, enjoy the title music:

Magnum, P.I. was first aired in 1980.

Labels: movies, Patrick